ACVR1B Antibody

ACVR1B Antibody: Activins are dimeric growth and differentiation factors which belong to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of structurally related signaling proteins. Activins signal through a heteromeric complex of receptor serine kinases which include at least two type I and two type II receptors. ACVR1B, also known as activin receptor-like kinase 4 (ALK4), is a type I receptor for activin and plays major roles in cell differentiation, growth arrest and apoptosis. Like another type I activin receptor ACVR1C, ACVR1B can mediate signaling by ligands such as Nodal, Xnr1, GDF-1/3, activin B and activin AB. In Xenopus embryos, expression of a dominant-negative form of ACVR1B blocked all mesoderm-inducing ligands, while expression of a dominant negative ACVR1C only blocked Nodal and Xnr1 signaling, suggesting that the ACVR1B and ACVR1C possess distinct functions.